Trailer issues revisited - really need some help

[Mark W]

You sure you aint crab walking with this fine tune up of a bent axle down the road?! How you gon hit me with its "barely bent" and then show me Steve Buscemi teeth crooked for an axle! That aint just a wee bit bent, that sucker is not looking well. Replace and will certainly help. I dont think this all your problem though, and I agree with statement above due to a light load, this isnt a weight issue. I run my trailers 5-10 psi shy all the time and never had wear issues this bad and I know for a fact im well underload for the rating of the trailer. Also I just pulled an empty boat trailer across the country, last fall, with nothing on it and had 0 issues. Made it from Tenessee to Idaho completely empty, no issues at all. Weight is not the reason it chewed up these tires. I might start inflating to spec though due to whats being said on this thread. In fairness I have a range of PSI on my tires sidewall, and its always within range, just not max inflation like some are claiming it should be.

The axle is square and striaght, the spindle is bent. Believe it or not, it is within spec of the manufacturer. I should just suck it up and buy a new axle with the spindles. I see I can buy just the spindles but I am no welder nor do I know of anyone who does.

 

[Brad Bortner]

I'm thinking that the previous owner hooked a curb or something at the boat ramp and bent the spindle and pulled the axle out of alignment. Have you measured the distance the axle is from the front or back of the trailer? I'd bet that the tires are scuffing sideways since they aren't running true. Have someone drive behind you as you tow the trailer and see it is crabbing behind your rig.

 

[tod osier]

If you have a bent spindle, that has to be a contributing factor. When you align a trailer axle, the tongue to spindle measurement is supposed to be within 1/16" side-to-side. I've aligned multiple trailers and this measurement is pretty easy to take especially if you have an extra ball to put in the coupler and then measure back from there (put the ball in the coupler with a small wad of paper towel on the top of the ball to get a real tight fit and put a loop of string or wire on the threaded shank of the ball and then attach a tape measure to it.

These axles also come with a camber from the factory, too, so that may be off if whatever bent the spindle affected that.

Axles are not very expensive. You can order direct from Dexter (naked, no bearings or hub) and they will fedex you one built to your specs (dexter is just an example that I'm familiar with, I'd just replace with whatever is on there if you can find the serial number or specs from the trailer manufacturer).

T

 

[Huntindave McCann]

But a bent spincle would create a different wear patttern. On the outside of one tire and the inside of the other from what I have read and picture I have seen

I believe low air pressure along with very light load is skewing the results. Imagine a tire with absolutely no air pressure, being spun at high RPM on a floating in air spindle, (no load bearing on the tire to affect the shape of said tire). Centrifugal force alone, will cause the center of the tire tread to be pulled to a larger diameter that the edges of the tread pattern. Thus, given a very light load, combined with under inflation, I believe it is possible only the center of the thread is making road contact, (as the photos would indicate). Full tire pressure (not over inflation) is actually going to help the tire hold it's intended shape and result in full contact with the roadway.

A bent spindle is going to rapidly scruff away the tread. This action is only going to occur to the portion of the tire making contact with the roadway. Thus, if you tire is not making "normal contact" it is not going to show the "normal signs" of a bent spindle wear pattern.

 

[HenryHawthorne]

IMO, 1 bent spindle would yield similar wear on both tires. The trailer is going to try to track as true as it can ,since the fulcrum is at the very front. Have some one pull it while you observe from behind - my bet is you'll see it is not running in a centered line behind the vehicle, but at a slight angle if it is as bent as the picture makes it look... causing both tires to run at similar toe angles to each other (ie., half the spindle bend angle on each tire).

Low pressure and dragging due to alignment could tear something up pretty quick, I'd think.

I'm not sure I agree with the comments that loads matter (or, rather, light loads wouldn't matter). As I understand it, trailer tires are specifically designed to run at a certain pressure, and bias ply (I'm presuming these are bias) are more sensitive to correct pressure. Overloading a tire can certainly cause a problem, and I believe that running below max pressure on a trailer tire is the functional equivalent of overloading (even with only trailer weight). I've got a buddy in the boat trailer business, I'll ask him next time I see him. Maybe I'm off base.

 

[William Reinicke]

The axle is square and striaght, the spindle is bent. Believe it or not, it is within spec of the manufacturer. I should just suck it up and buy a new axle with the spindles. I see I can buy just the spindles but I am no welder nor do I know of anyone who does.

I would bet you could find a trailer shop to get you to weld a new spindle on vs buying a new axle. There is a trailer shop just down the road, buy the spindle, pull the trailer around the shop and they will have it welded right up in about 20 min. Pretty slick.

 

[Eric Patterson]

Spindle is what I meant.